Metallic railway-tie and securing means therefor.



J GOSGROVE. METALLIC. RAILWAY TIE AND SECURING MEANS THEREFOR.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB-4, 1913.

Patented Aug; 1-9, 1913.

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J. OOSGROVE. METALLIC RAILWAY TIE AND SECURING MEANS THEREFOR.

APPLICAT IUN FILED EEBMZ, 1913. 1,070,779, Patented Aug. 19, 1913.

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JESSE COSGROVE, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METALLIC RAILWAY-TIE AND SECURING MEANS THEREFOR.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn Coscnovn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic' Railway-Ties and Securing Means Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in metallic railway ties and the means for securing the rails to the same.

An important object of this invention is to provide novel means to securely hold the rail in place upon the tie, such means being easily operated to connect and disconnect the rail and tie.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means to insulate the rail from the tie.

A further object of this invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character, which are strong, durable, and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved metallic tie and securing means, one end thereof being shown in section for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 2 is a plan. view of the same, one rail and its securing means being removed, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 41 is a perspective view of one of the U-shaped securing elements. Fig. 5 is a similar view of an insulating cap to be carried by the rail clamping device, and, Fig. 6 is a similar view of an insulating strip or mat upon which the rail is mounted.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 7 designates a metallic tie, which is formed hollow and is approximately U-shaped in cross-section, as shown. This tie is preferably cast of steel although any other suitable metal may be employed. The hollow tie 7 has its upper portion reinforced by transverse partitions or arches 8 and 9, each arch 8 carrying at its upper end a transverse plate 10, disposed in a horizontal plane be- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 4, 1913.

Patented Au 19,1913.

Serial No. 746,129.

low the upper surface of the tie 7, as shown. It is to be understood that the metallic tie 7 may be formed in any desired size and there may be any suitable number of the reinforcing partitions or arches 9. As more clearly shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of each of the arches 8 and 9 is formed curved or concaved, to properly engage with a removable shield or plate 11, which is curved in cross-section, as shown. This shield 11 is held in proper engagement with the reinforcing partitions or arches 8 and 9 by removable end plates 12, which are connected with the shield 11 and the tie 7 by means of bolts 13 or the like. Attention is called to the fact that the space below the shield 11 is left entirely open. end plates 12 form a closed chamber 14, for receiving portions of the rail securing means.

Each rail securing means comprises oppositely arranged rail clamping devices 15, provided at their inner ends with upwardly extending jaws 16, between which is disposed a rail 17, which is mounted upon the plate 10, as shown. Depending from the rail clamping devices 15 are lugs 18, rigidly connected and preferably cast integral therewith. These lugs are provided at their lower ends with semi-cylindrical openings 19, the opening 19 of one lug being provided with right-hand screw-threads while the opening 19 of the other lug is provided with lefthand screw-threads. Each of the rail clamping devices is held in place by a substantially U-shaped securing element 20, having an upper large opening 21 to snugly receive the depending lug 18. Below the large opening 21 is a semi-cylindrical opening 22, provided with screw-threads, as shown. The screw-threads of the opening 22 which are disposed adjacent the opening 19 having right-hand screw-threads are of course righthand screw-threads, while the screw-threads of the opening 22 of the other securing element would be left-hand screw-threads. In other words, the substantially semi-cylindrical openings 19 and 22 form cylindrical openings, to receive the righthand and lefthand screw-threaded portions 23 and 24 of an operating or adjusting bolt 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The adjusting or operating bolt 25 carries a head 26, whereby the same may be readily turned. It is obvious that by turning the bolt 25 in either direction, the clamping devices 15 will be simultaneously moved toward or away from the The shield 11 and the rail 17. The intermediate portion 27 of the bolt 25 is smooth and not screw-tln-eaded, and such smooth portion passes through an opening 28 formed through the reinforcing partition or arch 8, as shown. The end portions 29 and 30 of the operating or adjusting bolt are also smooth and not screwthreaded, the end portion 29 passing through an opening 31 formed through an arch or partition 9 and the end portion 30 passing through an opening 32 formed through a depending lug 33, carried by the tie 7, as shown. The smooth end portion 30 carries spaced rings or washers 34, disposed upon opposite sides of the lug 33, as shown. The inner ring 34. may be rigidly connected with the bolt by any suitable means. The function of these rings is to prevent the longitudinal movement of the bolt 25 with relation to the tie 7 in either direction, while at the same time allowing the bolt to be properly turned. Any suitable means may be employed to prevent the accidental rotation oi the bolt 25.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, the tie T is provided upon opposite sides of the plate 10, with inner openings 35, within which the lugs 18 operate. Disposed upon opposite sides of the plate 10 are outer openings 36, for receiving bolt-extensions 37, which are preferably formed integral with the body portion of the U-shaped securing element 20. The bolt-extensions pass through openings 38 formed through the rail clamping devices 15 and have their upper ends screw-threaded for receiving adjusting nuts 39, as shown. Attention is called to the tact that the screw-threaded openings which receive the bolt 25 are expansible or contractible, depending upon the direction of rotation of the nuts 89. By this construction, should the screw-threads of the openings and ot the bolt 25 become worn, such openings may be made smaller by screwing up the nuts 39, to take up the wear. By this construction a clamping action can be obtained between the screw-threaded portions, thus providing means for preventing the accidental displacement of the bolt 25. Any suitable means may be employed to prevent accidental rotation of the nuts 39.

Disposed between the rail 17 and the plate 10 is an insulating strip or mat 40, preferably provided with depending ends 4t1, to engage the opposite sides of the tie. This strip or mat is preferably formed of fiber or other suitable insulating material and properly iits within the recess formed by the plate 10. Such plate being in a horizontal plane below the upper surface of the tie 7. as herein above stated. Each jaw 16 car ries an. insulating cap 412, comprising a main body portion 13. which is curved in crosssection and carries end pieces i l. The insulating cap {l2 is preferably formed of fiber or other suitable insulating material. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, both jaws 16 are thoroughly insulated from the rail 17 while the rail is in turn thoroughly insulated from the tie 7 by the mat or strip all). In this way the rail is completely insulated from the tie. This construction is necessary in a great many cases, particularly vhere the rails are electrified or form track circuits for railway signal means.

In assembling the different parts, the shield 11 and end plate or plates 12 being removed, the operating or adjusting bolt 25 is first placed in position. The rail clamping devices 15 are next placed in position so that their jaws 16 will engage the rail 1'? which of course has been previously spaced upon the plate 10. The ii'isulating devices 4L0 and 42 are carried by their correspond ng elements The securing elements 20 are now placed within the lower portion of the tie '7, and moved upwardly to pass the bolt eX tensions 37 through the openings 38. The nuts 39 are next secured upon the screwthreaded ends of these bolt extensions. By proper rotation of the bolts the jaws 16 are moved into proper clamping engagement with the rail 17. By screwing up the nuts 39, the screw-threads of the bolt 25 have clamping engagement with the screwthreads of the openings 19 and 22, thus forming means to positively prevent the improper rotation of the bolt- 25. Any suitable means may be employed to prevent the improper rotation of the nuts 39. The shield 11 is now placed in position, and held therein by connecting the same with the side plate 12.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that certain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a railway tie having an opening formed therethrongh, of a rail clamping device carrying a depending lug passing through the opening and provided at its lower end with a substantially semicylindrical screw-threaded opening, a substantially U-shaped securing element receiving the depending lug and provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical screwthreaded opening to cooperate with the first named substantially semi-cylindrical screwthreaded opening, adjustable means connecting the substantially U-shaped securing element and rail clamping device, a bolt having its screw-threaded portion operating within the screw-threaded opening formed by the two substantially semi-cylindrical screwthreaded openings, and means to prevent the longitudinal movement of the bolt with relation to the tie.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a hollow metallic railway tie having longitudinally extending openings formed therethrough, of rail clamping devices longitudinally movably mounted upon the tie, substantially U- shaped securing elements extending through the longitudinal openings in the tie, and through openings in the rail clamping devices and provided in their lower portions with screw-threaded openings, nuts engaging the upper ends of the substantially U- shaped securing elements and the rail clamping devices, an operating bolt disposed within the screw-threaded openings of the substantially U-shaped securing elements, and means positively preventing the longitudinal movement of the operating bolt and permitting the same to be turned.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a hollow metallic railway tie provided with longitudinal openings, of rail clamping devices longitudinally movably mounted upon the tie, depending lugs connected with the rail clamping devices and operating within certain of the longitudinal openings, one depending lug being provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical opening provided with right-hand screw-threads and the other depending lug being provided with a substantially semicylindrical opening provided with left-hand screw-threads, substantially U-shaped securing elements having the upper portions thereof operating within certain of the longitudinal openings and connected with the rail clamping devices, one securing element being provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical opening having right-hand screw threads which are disposed adjacent the first named right-hand screw-threads, and the other securing element being provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical opening having left-hand screw-threads disposed adjacent the first named left-hand screw threads, an operating bolt having righthand and left-hand screw-threaded portions to be disposed respectively within the righthand and left-hand screw-threaded openings, and means to prevent the longitudinal movement of the operating bolt.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a hollow metallic tie having longitudinal openings formed through the upper wall thereof, of longitudinally movable rail clamping devices mounted upon the upper wall of the tie adjacent the longitudinal openings, substantially U-shaped securing elements mounted within the hollow tie and having their upstanding ends screw-threaded and passed through the longitudinal o enings and openings in the rail clamping evices, nuts mounted upon the screw-threaded ends of the substantially U-shaped securing elements, and a bolt mounted within the tie and having oppositely screw-threaded portions engaging the substantially U-shaped securing elements.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JESSE COSGROVE.

CHARLES CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

